


Mother

by alan713ch



Series: Waiting for the Darkness [9]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alpha Scott McCall, Banshee Lydia Martin, Court, Everybody Loves Danny, Gen, Power Play, danny is something, moar danny, mother/son relationship, understanding powers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-04
Updated: 2013-12-08
Packaged: 2018-01-03 11:18:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 19,984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1069841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alan713ch/pseuds/alan713ch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The McCall pack is in disarray, trying to understand what Alex is, what Danny is, and why are the witches so interested in him. Melissa realizes being mistress of the woods involves much more than just listening into their thoughts. Danny makes a decision that will affect his whole future. </p><p>Episode 7 of my alternate season 3B</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Welcome, and thanks for stopping by!
> 
> This is episode seven of my alternate 3B. This is very serialized work - it would be too difficult to just jump in here and try to understand, so please PLEASE read the previous works, all under the series Waiting for the Darkness. 
> 
> Not beta'd (nobody wanted to help me) and since English is my second language, there will be mistakes.
> 
> Any questions or any ideas or just want to see me worry about grammar? I tumblr @ alan713ch.tumblr.com

Monica was in the parking lot, smoking a cigarette - something she hadn't done in sixteen years, the moment she found out she was pregnant. She sworn them off and well, she was very good at keeping promises. They messed with her skin, she realized as soon as she gave them up. It also saved her a lot of money, which in New York was always a good thing to do. But she knew she could not raise a daughter in the middle of a concrete jungle and had asked her then husband to go back to her old town, a quaint little confluence of people in the middle of Nowhere, California, and he agreed. 

That had been the beginning of their end. He always wanted much more - he ended up moving to San Francisco after the divorce that had wrecked her family, the one thing she would always fight for, that tether to normality that he would never understand she needed so much. He remained closed for their daughter, and yet he rarely visited - oh, but he was always there when there was an opportunity to remind her how much of a failure of a mother she was.

She threw the butt down and squashed it with her Jimmy Choo. Her mother's flight was late, as she always was, but it was time for her to go inside and wait for her. Getting out of San Francisco at that time was going to be awful, and the drive through the Californian woods would be dangerous, but she was not going to spend a night alone with her mother in some random hotel in Santa Rosa. They were getting back to Beacon Hills even if it were at five in the morning. 

The idea of being stuck in a car with her mother for at least four hours of not moving was already freaking her out. 

She loved landing in the San Francisco Airport. She got to do it several times a year, her work as a PR manager for different companies around the country would drag her out of Beacon Hills so frequently she already knew every corner and every nook of that place. Including where the shadows loved to hide the clueless traveler's luggage, or where to find a one dollar bill when she was short for a packet of Altoids in the after-security store. 

OK, she had kept all her promises but one, and that had been to her mother, who had never kept hers. Fair was fair. 

She stood in the middle of the passenger pick up zone, looking at the screens announcing departures and arrivals like there was nothing else to see. She knew the security guard was looking at her with increased concern - most people barely glanced at the screens, since the information is readily available in countless apps for cellphones, and those who did pay attention to them barely did for more than twenty seconds, the amount of time it took a person to find their flight and get all the information they needed. She looked at her and then back - she didn't need to antagonize her, poor woman was about to lose her mother soon and she was working extra time to make meets end and the fact that Monica had to meet her mother was not this officer's fault.

Besides, Barbara was already there. 

"Hello, Monica."

"Mother."

"I've told you not to call me that in public, you don't know who we may be listening in."

"You are my mother, the courts be damned."

Barbara smiled, and Monica knew she would not live down what he had just said. 

Her mother followed her to the parking lot and went into the passenger seat of her car talking about her last residence, a burgeoning city in Brazil by the name of Porto Alegre, the happy port. Apparently there had been a boom of computer related businesses there and she had been able to make several negotiations and investments, adding to the already compounding family wealth that at some point in the next hundred years would go to her and then to Lydia, even if she had already made a fortune on her own and Lydia would probably just sink all the money into research until she founded her own company spun out of the patents she would get, and probably be richer than both generations before her combined. Then she moved to talk about the latest gossip that caught her fancy, and lastly she started talking about politics and how badly those were conducted in the States and how would the courts fall if they ever started acting like them.

But then they reached the woods her whole stance changed.

"My dear, what happened here?"

"You don't know? I thought your Queen would keep you informed."

"Careful, Monica, just because you declared fealty to no one does not make you immune to the affairs."

"I declared myself human, mother, and I have no place at court."

"Even the commoners have a place at court, my dear, if at the very bottom. These woods, their song - so different."

"I know."

"When did this happen?"

"Last Spring. A King rose."

"So he's from the sun, huh? Then why am I here?"

"He is not from the sun, mother, he's a wolf. That puts him square in your court."

"Ah. How did he rise? The Hales have been always good rulers, why would they allow someone to rise against them? Why would anyone feel the need to rise against them?"

"You truly don't know."

"What happened, Monica?"

Monica told her the story of the Hale fire, and how had that violated the last seal in the old stump that resided so close to her home.

To say that Barbara was upset was to put it mildly. Like saying that losing a quarter billion dollars was like a cat losing a hair. She made it quite clear while they were still crossing the woods - the town was buried well within them, a sanctuary for those who needed protection from the ones who were afraid of who they were.

Or at least, those who they had been a long time ago, when magic still walked freely around the world. Now they had all been confined to small places in the middle of nowhere like this, and they would keep forsaking their gifts, like she had done a long time ago, trying to fit into the real world, hiding who she truly was. 

She wished she could do the same thing for her daughter, but she had to go ahead and run with wolves. 

No, she didn't. One of the wolves, one of the _Hales_ had done this to her beautiful baby girl. 

"Take me to the sanctuary. Even if it's not guarded anymore - even more because it's not guarded anymore - I need to pay my respects."

Monica turned off the GPS and took a small road barely visible among all the trees at night. The SUV had no problems taking a bit of hard terrain - their destination was not too far away anyways. It had been someone's idiotic idea to build a state road so close to an old place of worship.

And yet, she had to park the car a good half a mile to go. 

"I didn't bring the proper shoes, mother."

"Good. It'll do you good to touch the ground you walk on for a while."

She hated when her mother was right, for the touch of her soles in the damp ground felt soothing, relaxing, like the way you felt sleeping in your own bed after sleeping in hotels for three weeks. The energy the woods had was vibrant, a bouncing source of energy, like a teenager wandering through life, willing to take the world for breakfast and maybe again before lunch. 

They reached the stump and Monica stayed behind, letting Barbara reach it and kneel next to it and put a couple of opals on top of it, right next to what seemed a small blossom, a signal that the seals were broken and the sanctuary was alive again. She heard her mother sing in a language she no longer understood, hands moving in the air, like trying to create ripples in a pond. 

"I thought you said the Hales were dead."

"Most of them, only three or four survived, I think, and they are not here anymore."

"Then, you need to take me to this Risen King. He is the guardian of this Sanctuary."

"That's not - that's not possible. He's a child."

"We are all children to the powers."

"No, mother, he is a child. He's in high school, with Lydia."

"Oh, yes, the woods tell me that. They also tell me that there is a Mother that we ought to pay our respects to, before they get angry and turn onto us. Have you done so?"

"No."

"Darling! How dare you insult a Mother with such great power?"

"They haven't held court yet. I don't even think they know how. Or that they should."

"Monica, even if you don't want to follow the rules of the courts you are still indebted to the traditions. You should have taught them."

"No. They don't know anything about me and I hope to keep it that way."

"Not gonna happen darling, since you are going to take me to her right now."

"No, I am not. I am going to take you to the house, where we'll discuss the reasons why you are here and then you'll do your businesses. It's late, we won't be able to talk to her until the morning - I don't want to wake Lydia up."

Barbara looked at her, her face changing from concern about rules and forms to concern about her well-being, and that of her family.

"Darling. Why am I here?"

"Lydia woke up, mother."

Monica rarely let her emotions reach her face - she'd always hid them behind a dash of makeup and a touch of mascara. But this was her daughter, and she let her voice crack. Her mother understood.

"Since when? Why didn't you call me before?"

"Since the Snow moon. And during the Worm moon something happened - I don't know what, and she won't talk to me. She barely held herself together and since the Red moon she's been wailing actively."

"Wailing actively? She received the gift of the wail?"

"She wouldn't call it that. A curse, more likely."

"Who does she wail for? Your family?"

"For her pack."

"She runs with wolves?"

"I'm afraid so - they had saved her life several times, and it's probable that her instinct bound her to it."

"And now she's truly a member of the courts."

"Mother, please..."

"What do you want me to say, Monica? You know it's true."

"So she's gonna come here, isn't she? The Queen of Ghosts."

"Oh yes. A Banshee wailing for a Risen King, a Wolf one at that. Of course the Queen of Ghosts will come and visit her."

"That's why I called you, mother. So you can get her ready."

"I'll try. But first, we have to pay our respects to the Mistress of these woods, lest we want to anger her. Do you know who is her mortal form?"

"No."

A gust of wind went through the woods, and Barbara paid attention to it. Monica knew they were speaking to her the way they used to do when she was a little girl.

"I do, now."

Monica pinched her nose and started walking back to the car, without waiting for her mother. 

She needed a drink, and a stiff one at that.


	2. Allison

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She liked many things about Isaac. She liked the way his haired curled in all the places, giving him an angelic halo around that thin face and those piercing eyes. She liked the way he slouched whenever he walked, even if it was a painful reminder that he was trying to make himself small when he was so big and lithe, like he was made of twigs. She liked when they sparred, a way to keep their physicality in check, except for those two times when it had gotten so intense they ended up making out in the middle of the forest like two wild wolves circling each other in heat.

"Thanks for doing this here, Lydia."

"Are you kidding? As much as I love our little island of misfits I'm getting tired of hanging out with boys all the time. Besides, it was a good call on the Sheriff that we split this up - Scott has that tendency of doing one thing at the time that will come bite us in the ass at some point. Besides, he lives here, you live here, kinda makes sense. Well, no it doesn't, but it's an excuse - just like sending Stiles to do the witch stuff because he is with Lorena makes sense."

Both girls had looked up when they had mentioned Alex. They knew he was at the penthouse - a good three floors above them, so he shouldn't be able to hear them, and her father swiped the place for bugs of technological nature once a week. Stiles said he was going to go to Deaton and ask for a way to swipe for bugs of magical nature but as usual had forgot about it. They turned back to their papers spread on the bed, all the information the Sheriff had managed to get on Alexandros Karahalios before he had to turn in the investigation to Agent McCall. He could not be part of it or he'll risk his job, so Lydia and her had immediately taken it - and taken it out of the Stilinski house. Stiles, Scott and Isaac were working on the witch angle, and the Sheriff and Melissa were trying to get them more information - the morgue, the FBI, anything they could get their hands on. The Sheriff said he expected to talk to Alex's lawyer at some point, but they all doubted it would happen. 

"So, what do we know?"

"Well, we know he can come back from the dead, even if I wailed for him. We know he's twenty five hundred years old, which means that the stuff he likes to correct in History class are probably true. We know that he freaks the hell out of Finstock. And that Danny won't talk to us after his little Jesus act in the funeral parlour."

"God, from what you guys said it was awful."

"You have no idea. I don't even know what's the worst - seeing him rise from the coffin, or looking at him slitting his own throat to release all the aldehydes."

"Yuck."

"I will definitely not go into medicine now. If Scott still wants to be a vet after that he has my respect."

Allison giggled a little at the thought but let it go immediately. So he was definitely not a vampire - her father had immediately pointed out that they were too far south for vampires to live comfortably. And since Lydia had wailed for him - and felt his _death_ that meant that he was alive, and came back. So that removed spirits, revenants, ghosts and apparitions. And zombies.

That didn't mean the amount of creatures remaining in the bestiary were few.

"We know he's rich - but the Sheriff pointed that the money was inherited from his mother. Who apparently died some years ago."

"That's the story he tells."

"The Karahalios estate has always been handled by the same firm of lawyers - Florrick, Agos and associates. Wait, no - that is recently, thirty years. It used to be handled by Stern, Lockhart and Gardner until one of their associates went to fund the other firm. From there it was handed down to an Aurelius Stoikovich, who is the current handler."

"How old is Florrick - Agos?"

"Thirty years."

"And Stern, Lockhart and Gardner?"

"At least 100."

"Wait, back up - Karahalios estate - his father changed his name?"

Lydia scanned the file she had in her hand quickly.

"No. His father is a Peter Karahalios and his mother a Selene Karahalios, nee McKenzie."

"Paper trail. He's using it as a front to keep his money safe from prying eyes."

"Because if you are alive for twenty five hundred years people will get suspicious so you have to pretend to die and appear twenty years later the heir of a fortune that is suddenly to your name. He probably accumulated wealth early and then has just been manipulating the accounts to play in his favor."

"He probably has several aliases, too, probably a couple at the same time."

"Maybe. That'd be to risky, though, the scars are too prominent. Damn, I wish I had a photo of him."

"Isn't there any in the files?"

"No... wait!" Lydia got her cellphone out and after a couple minutes she yelled Eureka. Some tapping in the phone and then some tapping in the laptop later, Allison saw she was running a full scan on his picture. "He may have tried to lay low during all this time, but he is bound to show up. The scars are too prominent." And yeah, the search - which was not made in Google, Allison noted, but some obscure search engine - spit out some results. Not too many, but definitely significant.

"Look at this, there's a painting of a Seneca Karahalios from the late 1800's in London. That's definitely him. And a Michael Karahalios - 1720. Look, there are even a couple of drawings of him dating the 1400's!"

"Lydia, I know this is ridiculous, but he said 2500 years old. Do you think we can run a search on Greek families during the period when Socrates and Plato were alive?"

"Not with this computer and not with these resources. We would have to go to a University - a decent one, mind you - and look at their historical records."

"I don't thing we have time for that."

"We'll do with what we have."

They kept at it. By the time Isaac showed up saying that he volunteered to keep an eye of both of them through the night they had been able to connect Alex to at least three different estates (all of them huge - this kid was worth a country on his own) and at least three conspiracy theories that had propped up about immortal people, but he was always the fourth fiddle - never the center of attention. Allison decided to call it a night - she still had homework - when she decided to bookmark a page with a legend about a bird who fell in love with the moon, since Karahalios meant bird of something.

"OK, we'll have to make some arrangements - Lydia, I'm sure you can stay here, but Dad will definitely want you in the couch this time, Isaac."

"Oh, no, lovebirds, I'm not staying."

"Lydia? Do you really want to spend the night alone?"

"My mom went to pick up my grandmother to San Francisco earlier today. They should get here at some point before sunrise if they don't kill each other in the way here. I won't wake up alone."

"What about going to sleep?"

"I'll manage. Besides, I am not going to be the one to interrupt one night of love making. Say hi to your dad when he comes back from patrolling."

Allison and Isaac looked at her leave, both of them flustered. Neither had been thinking of _that_ , but now that she had mentioned it it hanged in front of them awkwardly.

"I... er, I actually have homework to do."

"Me too."

So they proceeded with it. An hour or two later, she didn't know how long, she could not pay attention anymore and started to look at the boy who was sitting crosslegged in the floor besides her bed. 

She liked many things about Isaac. She liked the way his haired curled in all the places, giving him an angelic halo around that thin face and those piercing eyes. She liked the way he slouched whenever he walked, even if it was a painful reminder that he was trying to make himself small when he was so big and lithe, like he was made of twigs. She liked when they sparred, a way to keep their physicality in check, except for those two times when it had gotten so intense they ended up making out in the middle of the forest like two wild wolves circling each other in heat. It had never gotten farther than that - she could still feel him thinking Scott would feel betrayed if he moved forward. She wondered if she was not betraying a part of herself for thinking that Scott would definitely not like it, and it made her sad to think that way. 

Gingerly, she reached a hand to muzzle that hair. He looked up, a question in his face, looking like a cherub in one of those italian paintings.

She lowered herself - it wasn't that much, honestly - until she could kiss him. He let himself get lost in her lips, and she guided him up, until they were both kneeling on her bed. Slowly taking their clothes off. Garment by garment, piece by piece, until Isaac was barely keeping his pants and she was in her underwear.

She loved the feeling of him touching her torso, carefully caressing her. The way his hands seemed to find a road in her body, pilgrims exploring the sinews of her muscles, the ridges of her scars, those that would never disappear because she didn't have werewolf healing and because they tended to avoid hospitals not to raise suspicion.

They kissed. She wanted more.

But he kept a safe distance, a small wedge of air between them. She pulled him closer. He muttered in her left ear.

"What about Scott?"

And in her right ear she heard her alpha. _Their_ alpha.

"What about me?"

She didn't need to turn to feel the callused hands of her former boyfriend caressing her where Isaac hands were too afraid to go. Under her left breast. At the base of her lower back. Licking her shoulder where a bullet had grazed her once.

She could feel Isaac using her body to feel Scott. She could feel Scott using her hands to feel Isaac. She could feel losing herself between the two boys, bodies pressing against each other, two dogs pleasing their mistress, two wolves circling the maiden that had wandered into the woods.

The door creaked, and she woke up. 

Isaac was asleep on the floor, his homework a mess around him. She had fallen asleep amidst her own, clothes (thankfully) still on. 

Her father looked at her, one eyebrow higher than the other. They weren't technically doing anything wrong, but cursed herself for letting the door ajar instead of fully closed - Isaac would've woken up if his father had had to deal with the latch. He motioned at her to follow him. Using all the stealth she had acquired as a werewolf hunter she followed without waking Isaac up. 

"Dad!" He didn't answer her hiss until they were in the kitchen, where he started to make hot chocolate, and got some cookies out. If there was something she missed were her mother's cookies.

"Yes, Allison?"

"Why did you have to wake me up?"

"I was just checking on you - I didn't see Lydia's car in the parking lot and I worried. Besides, it's not like I caught you doing something out of bounds."

Even if it had all been a dream she still blushed furiously. 

"Any luck with your research?"

"We are managing to create a profile on him, but we are not sure what he is yet. We are starting to pinpoint him around to at least one thousand years, but he himself confessed being over two thousand years old."

"So you are sure he's not lying."

"Oh, no. Now we only need to find what kind of creature rebirths every time they die. So far I get stuck on phoenix and he's not a flipping bird."

The grin her father produced was enough to lighten up her mood. She rarely got to see him smile now.

"I'm afraid nothing comes to mind."

"We'll find it. How was the patrolling?"

"Nothing unusual. But I can't help but feel restless - I don't like the way these witches have been able to slip so many murders under my nose - it's like I have no control on what's going on."

"Dad, we don't."

"I don't want you to be so concerned about it."

"Dad..."

"Allison..."

They didn't say anything for a while, just looking at each other. When he finished his cup of coffee he got up and went into the living room. She wanted to follow, but he came back with a little black notebook.

"What's this?"

"Some of your mother's notes from when she used to teach Math. She used to say that when a problem got too complicated, she could look at one of the ones she kept there and distract herself a little, and then dive back ready to destroy it. I want you to have it."

"Dad, I'm not good at Math like her."

"All but one of the problems are solved. That way you can only look at the problem, let your mind exercise a little and then look at the answer. The goal is not to have you abandon the problems in order to solve these, it's only just to distract you a little bit. Besides, it's something of your mother's - I wanted you to have it for a while now. I was waiting until you were eighteen, but you look like you can use a distraction right now."

Allison didn't know what to say. So she just stood up, tears in her face, and hugged him.


	3. Danny

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Having seen Alex rise from his coffin had made him take the decision of leaving as soon as possible. He could take looking at an ex across the Jungle easily - seeing one being resurrected to kill himself to resurrect _again_ was a bit too much.

Danny was looking at the lacrosse ball on his hand. It belonged to a packet that he had ordered from Amazon some months ago and dumped into the attic because the season had ended and now everybody was talking about doing cross country. He hated running - it gave him shin splints, and Coach had them making track more often than not due to all the 'animal' attacks, so the view tended to get boring and repetitive.

"What are you thinking, Danny?"

"How many balls will I be able to pack in a box by the time Dad finds out where the fuck will we be hiding."

Having seen Alex rise from his coffin had made him take the decision of leaving as soon as possible. He could take looking at an ex across the Jungle easily - seeing one being resurrected to kill himself to resurrect _again_ was a bit too much. 

"You are lying."

"Am I getting worse at it?"

"Yes."

"Because of the moon?"

"Yes."

"Well, fuck me."

"Danny, language."

"What are you doing here, grandpa? I told you I could start the packing on my own."

"Well, I am actually here looking for something. For you."

"I thought you said we could wait."

"I'm not so sure about that. It's evident from your temper that you need to let your magic out."

Danny looked at his grandpa who smiled at him, but Danny didn't feel like smiling. He hadn't felt like smiling since his boyfriend had died in front of him. And his humor got worse when he saw him come back from the dead. He put the ball back into the packet and threw the packet into the 'Toss' pile, which already included some board games, his cradle and something that looked weirdly like a candelabra. The 'Keep' pile included all his science fiction books, but he was sure they would end up in the 'Goodwill' pile when his dad had a chance to run through them. Besides, he could get digital copies anyways.

The packet split open and the ball he had been holding started rolling, until it hit an old chest he had never seen before.

"Is this what you're looking for, grandpa?"

It was dark red, but it had so much dust that it looked like a gravestone. He saw the symbols etched in the wood, and recognized non bar the one that was obvious. The moon itself. 

"Ah, yes. I was wondering where I had put it."

"I don't think you can misplace this, grandpa."

"Yes, well, it is enchanted to be misplaced. You need to be actively looking for it."

"I wasn't."

"Maybe it was looking for you."

Danny rolled his eyes so hard it hurt. He was getting tired of finding out more things were sentient than supposed. The woods, fine, but a chest? That was asking a bit too much. Besides, the chest was already removed from any 'alive' portion. He dragged it to the middle of the attic, and dusted it with his hand - he knew blowing on top of it was useless with that amount of dust. After what felt like hours of just removing dust he finally felt satisfied enough to open it.   
He immediately realized there were _two_ chests, one on top of the other, and they needed to be dislodged before they could be opened. Problem is, he couldn't find any sort of ledge or opening where he could stick his hand and pull open.

"Grandpa?"

"You are supposed to use your gifts, Danny."

"Wait - so you're telling me you don't even know what's in there?"

"A few books, a robe, and some of the old instruments."

"Have you opened it before?"

"No."

"Then how are you sure?"

"It's been told from fathers to daughters, from mothers to sons."

"Grandpa, you could've been told a lie."

"Danny, open it."

"How?"

"You are the moonsinger. Sing."

Danny hung his head. He knew his grandpa meant 'use magic' when he said 'sing' but still it didn't escape him that he was probably one of the worst singers in the planet, being tone deaf and incapable of carrying a tune in a bucket. He closed his eyes and focused on the feeling of the moon on his skin, something that he was feeling practically every second now.

It didn't work.

"What are you waiting for, Danny?"

"I'm trying."

"Well, it's not working."

"No shit, Sherlock."

"Danny!"

"Sorry, sorry."

He kept his eyes closed, focusing on the feeling that walked with him now.

"Danny, are you alright?"

"Excuse me?"

"You seem to be... on the edge, is that how you say it?"

Even with his eyes closed Danny managed to roll his eyes.

"I'm fine, grandpa, let us get on with this."

Danny tried again. And yet nothing happened.

"Maybe this is a good thing," he said, opening his eyes at his grandfather, "Maybe it means that I really didn't wake up - that is was a freebie, a one time and that we don't have to move away or hide or anything."

Her grandpa looked at him sadly. 

"Don't fool yourself, Danny. You know it's not true."

It was not the way he said it, or the tone, or the fact that he looked like he wanted to cry. It was the fact that he _said_ , so final and fatalistic, what made Danny's blood boil in anger, and the chest to open with a snap.

"Well, it seems that your powers are connected to your emotions, my dear boy."

"Grandpa, please don't. I'm getting a headache."

Out of the chest a couple of spiders crawled out, and when he removed the top portion and took out the dark robe he could spot some moths leaving the chest as well. The garment was barely held together, but at least the books seemed to have no damage. The small set of drums seemed complete as well, and the tambourine glistened with its silver disks. He grabbed it and it jingled at him, a sound sweet like a bell.

"I can't play this. I play the trumpet."

"And it's not like you can learn to play a new instrument. Danny, what is going on?"

Danny ignored his grandfather in order to look at the other chest. This one was a thinner case and Danny knew that whatever was inside could be used as some sort of weapon. Again, it was closed and it seemed sealed, but this time Danny thought of Alex and how angry he was at the fact that he had been lied to, and the lid snapped open with so much force it made his grandfather jump in surprise. 

Inside, a short staff, wood and silver and mother-of-pearl was waiting for him. Danny couldn't help but think that it was beautiful.

"Is this for me?"

"It's yours by right. The last staff of the moonsingers. That we know of, at least."

Danny went onto grabbing it. He saw the ebony handler and that's where he placed his hand, not touching what seemed to be a pure silver rod finished with a design of a moon and feathers and pearls twinkling like stars. He remembered reading about Mercury and his caduceus, and while this one was lacking twin serpents, it seemed pretty close with its wings on the top. He could feel the power pulsing through it, and how _good_ it felt on his hands.

"What do you think?"

"Can I take it out? Of the house, I mean."

"Yes - why?"

"I feel its power. I want to use it. I am not going to use it in here."

"Yes, well, I suppose you can - what do you have in mind?"

"I don't know, maybe take it to a place in the woods where I won't be disturbed?"

"But you don't even know any spells, or summonings, or songs?"

"I'll wing it. Please - it's calling to me!"

"OK, just, just take your cellphone with you."

"Thanks, grandpa!"

And he bolted out. He knew that he had been lying all the way through Thursday, but at least he was out with the rod on his hand.   
Now he had to find a way to destroy it, or get rid of it, and then he would not be able to increase his power and the mythical creatures would ignore him. 

Sounded like a good plan.

Danny should've known better. He had read enough fantasy books after all.

First he tried The Home Depot in Hill Valley, where he tried a saw, a circular saw, and a sledgehammer, while astonishing the employees of the store at the fact that he had an unbreakable rod. They told him to look for the local blacksmith, who had a furnace that could reach temperatures high enough to melt silver, but when they tried it the rod remained stubbornly whole. He got back to Beacon Hills and snuck into the high school, entering the chemistry laboratory and concocting a bit of piranha solution, capable enough to eat through anything but the staff. It was well after midnight when he finally decided to just throw it in the middle of the woods, but every time he got back to his car the rod would be in the passenger seat, waiting for him to pick it up again. 

The third time he had done it he just grabbed it one more time and walked and walked and walked until he wasn't sure where he was anymore. He found himself a nice big trunk and started smashing the rod against it, hoping to break it somehow.

He smashed it like it were a baseball stick, and the trunk a giant ball he had to hit home run.

He smashed it like it was an ax, wielded to bring down the might oak he had set his sight on.

He smashed it like it was Alex he was hitting, and was finally able to get a confession out of him sprinkled with blood and teeth and bone, telling him how it had all been a lie to get him to be a singer and now he was coming for him, to bind him to do his bidding, whatever that was and whatever that meant. 

He could hear the echoes of his sobbing and his wailing and his crying through the forest. But he was the last moonsinger, he was alone. 

He smashed it like destroying it was the only hope he had at a normal life now. But the rod was not going away, and neither was the oak he tried to bring down with it. The only other thing there with him was the sliver of moonlight that crept through the treetops, watching over him. 

He didn't know at what time he fell on his knees, crying. Or when he started trembling, the cold getting to him. Or when he heard McCall's mother calling his name and kneeling next to him, giving him a warm embrace to prevent him from freezing. She asked him to come with her so she could get him warm, and he obeyed, no longer thinking about anything. 

The rod stayed there, forgotten, knowing that its master was not ready for it yet.


	4. Derek

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Derek removed the big ice blue ribbon and the wrapping paper to find a leather rectangular gasket hidden within. Leather, but the artificial stuff. He already knew what was inside.

"Are you going to open it?"

"Why are you giving me this? It's not my birthday, it's not christmas, so why?"

"Because I want to, you big dunce! I never give you anything, I need to catch up."

Derek raised an eyebrow to her little sister and pointed a thumb to the gigantic stuffed wolf that could be seen from anywhere in the apartment even if it was well tucked inside his room. 

"Yeah, well, that was a bit overboard, and you didn't keep any of the other ones."

"Cora, I counted 387 plus Sourwolf there, how many did you order?"

"Four hundred."

"You remember the money is supposed to last until we die, right? We are not supposed to waste it."

"Pfft, ten years accumulating interest, it's not like I spent any of it during my travels as an omega. Besides, what are you going to do with your History degree to increase the family fortune?"

Derek looked down and mumbled. Sadly, her sister also had werewolf senses.

"You want to write a memoir of the family? That's AWESOME! But I still don't get how you can make it money."

"I can spin it into a fantasy book and sell the rights to make a TV show."

"Not bad. Are you going to open it or what?"

"You already know what's in there - you just want to see my expression of wonder and joy when I open it, and I can fake those pretty well."

"Yeah, no - not even removing the stubble helps."

"Fine."

Derek removed the big ice blue ribbon and the wrapping paper to find a leather rectangular gasket hidden within. Leather, but the artificial stuff. He already knew what was inside. He opened it to find a violin inside - not too flashy, but definitely worth a couple grand.

"Cora..."

"I miss you trying to learn. I miss mom smiling whenever we heard you try to get Amazing Grace right."

Before Paige he had never shown any interest in music.

"Do you know why I wanted to learn?"

"You wanted to honor that girl, the one you killed. Peter's girlfriend."

"How do you know she was Peter's girlfriend?"

"Because dad told us. Even though mom didn't want us to know, he told us that your eyes were blue, and that we needed to understand why. He told us that Peter convinced Ennis to bite his girlfriend so they could be together, and how you couldn't stand seeing her die and how he lost it because of it. How you broke her neck after she cried in your arms. How that didn't make you a killer - but you had inflicted a mercy kill. Oh, Derek, don't cry!"

"What?" Derek wiped a hand through his face - he hadn't realized he was crying. He shook his head trying to remove the tears from his eyes and gave Cora a smile. He still didn't feel like he deserved to smile, but at least he could try to pretend for his little sister. She went and hugged him, the violin forgotten over the table.

"Did you practice at all, after the fire?"

"No. I even stopped practicing before the fire, because..."

"Of her."

"Yes."

"Do you want me to take it back?"

"No. I need something to do, and well, I can only spend so much time as a barista or brooding. It'll give me something to... It'll distract me."

"We need to find you a teacher. You think Ana Maria knows someone?"

"I can always use Youtube."

"Oh, please, like you can learn the violin from watching videos."

"It's how I learned French."

"You know French?"

"I wanted to look into the Argent history. Understand who they were. It's my minor."

"We really don't know each other, do we?"

"We are learning each other, Cora. And that's OK."

They stayed like that for a bit, waiting for the snow to stop falling. At some point they got a movie and hot cocoa and when she was asleep he carried her to her room, looking fragile and innocent like she was supposed to be, not the snarky hardened warrior that she really was. He went back to his room and huddled himself closely to the stuffed wolf that was right next to the bed. Well, it was technically right next to everything since it took so much space inside his room. He didn't mind. He knew what it meant to her that he had kept it, and it was soft and plushy. Made for a good pillow anyways.

The next morning she had already left for the clinic - she kept accumulating volunteer hours, and he reminded himself to look into helping her get a GED so she could start applying to community colleges and begin her career, whether she wanted psychology, psychiatry, social working or nursing. He took a shower, shaved ("I did not kill my family. Kate Argent did. But I did wrong Isaac, and Erica, and Boyd. And Scott.") and went to his job. He had a short shift that morning - he had his usual appointment after lunch. On the way to the clinic he spotted a flyer for violin lessons ("This can't be a coincidence") and ripped one of the little cut-outs to take it with him. 

He found himself sitting in front of Doctor Remus, like usual.

"Hello, Derek."

"Hello, Dr. Remus. How are you?" She raised an eyebrow, like she was supposed to be the one to ask that, "I'm trying to be polite." Her smirk was... not infuriating. It was the first time he didn't find someone else's smirk infuriating.

"I'm well, Derek, thank you. How are you?"

He knew that whatever his answer, she would press for more. But he felt perfectly comfortable saying -

"I'm good. Today I'm good."

"That's good. Why?"

"My sister gave me a violin last night."

"Do you play?"

"No."

"Then why...?"

"The girl I mentioned a while ago, when my eyes turned blue, Paige? She used to play the cello. For a while I thought of learning an instrument just to honor her. I chose the violin - another string."

"Did you followed through your learning?"

"No. I let myself be... distracted." He cringed at the thought, but he now knew that she wouldn't judge him, so he let himself be. "And the violin I had bought back then burned, and I didn't want to buy a new one when we were in New York."

"So you'd basically be starting a new hobby?"

"Yes. I want to. I need something to do."

"That's good." She just looked at him, but he could feel in her stance something more. A bit of pride. He couldn't help but smile to himself. She asked about how he felt regarding his former betas and how he felt about living so far from his alpha. She asked if he didn't feel like an omega, but the truth is that he didn't - he could feel Scott scouting for him once a week, making sure he was alright, and to him that was enough to make him feel part of the pack. But it was true that he should talk to him, or to Stiles. They finished the session and he bounced (Since when did he bounce?) to the address indicated in the cut out - he wanted to ask about the violin lessons immediately. 

It was one of those tourist trap shops, with souvenirs, postcards and overpriced sweatshirts. He went straight to the counter where a young man - probably no older than Cora - looked at him and gulped.

"How can I help - help you?"

"Er, this was listed as violin lessons?"

"Oh, yeah, that'd be Gran - let me go fetch her. Gran!" He went to the back of the store and he tried very hard not to listen at the conversation going on the back, grabbing some postcards thinking which ones would Scott and the others like more. It was a bit hard not to pay much attention when the boy kept saying 'Gran, there's a beautiful hunk out there asking for violin lessons and you please please need to take him in'. Some minutes later - and an awkward staring at a couple that wanted to buy a sweatshirt but gave up when they realized he didn't work there - the boy and a very stern woman came back, and Derek could finally associate the irregular beating of the kid's heart to a _crush_. 

"My grandson here tells me that you are interested in violin lessons?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"For you or your child?"

"For me, Ma'am. I'm single and childless."

"Hmph. Ever played before?"

"No, Ma'am."

"Well, at least I won't have to remove any bad habits. What do you have?"

"Willow."

"That's good. 35 dollars an hour, three times a week, you need to let me know when you can't come. Is that clear?"

"Crystal, ma'am."

"Aaron, stop that."

"It's alright, Ma'am."

"See, Gran? He doesn't mind."

"In case you are blind, Aaron, it's pretty obvious he does. You, what's your name, again?"

"Derek."

"Don't worry about him, his hormones are all over the place, but he's a good kid. We'll meet on the other side of the house so he can keep it in pants. When do you want to begin?"

"How does tomorrow at noon sound, Ma'am?"

"Great. See you then."

Derek paid for the postcards and walked out, thinking too much of Grandma Thea. 

When he got home he found Cora in the couch, eating cereal. 

"Cora, you need to eat more than a bowl of cereal for dinner."

"I was waiting for you."

"No, you weren't, you didn't want to warm anything up."

"No, I was waiting for you - I was going to use my younger sis powers to convince you to get pizza."

"No."

"Pretty please?"

"Cora, we have food! No."

"You are boring."

"Is that better than brooding?"

She looked at him.

"Yeah, it is."

He went into the kitchen and warmed up some stuff Ana Maria had cooked for them and set up the table for the two of them. Cora reluctantly (not really, but she liked to keep the facade) went and helped him, and they sat down for food. He told her about the lessons and she beamed.

They went back to the couch again and watched TV mindlessly. He felt Scott's pull again, checking if he was alright - for the first time he let the wolf in, letting him know that yes, they were alright. 

"I like this. I wasn't sure I would ever remember this. That I would have it again."

"Hm?"

"Family. Pack."

Derek just stroked his sister's hair until she fell asleep, and he fell asleep after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is fluff. Probably the last fluff for Derek in a while. Next we'll see him, we'll, it won't be good =(


	5. Melissa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They had walked back from wherever in the middle of the woods she had found him all the way to her house, following the path the woods formed for her. They didn't say anything during the walk, she knew he needed to let it all out and that she could not say anything to him. She didn't even know what he was going through, all she knew was that a teenager needed a helping hand and she could give it. It wasn't that much different from working in the hospital.

"Well, don't stay in the doorstep, come on in! The idea is to get you warm, not for you to freeze in my porch."

They had walked back from wherever in the middle of the woods she had found him all the way to her house, following the path the woods formed for her. They didn't say anything during the walk, she knew he needed to let it all out and that she could not say anything to him. She didn't even know what he was going through, all she knew was that a teenager needed a helping hand and she could give it. It wasn't that much different from working in the hospital.

She was also freezing a little bit - she was in her scrubs, after all.

But now, Danny Mahealani was hunched, wet from the dew and nervous outside her kitchen, like coming in was the biggest decision he had to take at that moment.

"Scott is not here. None of them are here. It'll be just you and I, and I'm calling your parents as soon as I put the milk on the stove."

"No. Don't call them. I - I need some time away from them."

"You sure? Do you want anyone else? Lydia, maybe?"

"No. I - I just need to get dry and I'll be on my way."

"As you wish, Danny."

"Please don't tell me that's code for 'I love you'"

"And that Princess Bride reference earned you extra cookies with your chocolate. Come on in."

Danny did, like expecting the world would come crashing on him. Since nothing happened he relaxed and sat down in one of the chairs next to the small kitchen table. She quickly grabbed a towel from the linen closet and told him to dry himself up while she got the chocolate tablets, the wood whisk and the milk, and started blending the chocolate.

"What's that?"

"This? A wood whisk. A _molinillo_ , my grandma called it. I may no longer do a lot of the things my family would do, my grandma would have killed me that I haven't taught Scott how to properly set an _altar de muertos_ or how to roast chiles the right way since I don't remember how to do it myself, but at least I still know how to make chocolate. If you don't like it I have some Swiss Miss in the pantry."

"No, that's alright."

She saw that he was still keeping to himself and she didn't say anything, letting him and his thoughts. She understood what Scott told her, that he was some sort of magical enhancer and that he was going to be pursued by all the magical creatures surrounding the area now, but she realized that as teenagers as they were, they hadn't stopped to think how scared could he be. 

"Here you go, and sorry for the cookies - they are Chip's Ahoy, I can't bake."

A ghost of a smile showed in his face. 

"Thank you, ma'am."

She grabbed another chair and sat across from him, leaving the table in between. A small gesture that said, you can do whatever you want, I would have to cross the table to harm you, the table is your shield.

"This is actually pretty good!"

"It's still store bought. It's the spices, cinnamon and cloves and sugar, they add to the flavor of the chocolate. I prefer milk as a base, my grandma used to do it with water."

"That doesn't sound good."

"She liked to add mezcal to it."

"That sounds dangerous."

"It probably was."

He munched a cookie, and then another one, and kept drinking the chocolate. Some of the tension left his body, the one that had nestled in his cold muscles, trying to clamp him together to keep the heat from leaving. She nursed her own chocolate, looking at him, trying to see when she would need to help him, and how.

"Excuse me, Mrs. McCall?"

"Yes?"

"How did you know where to find me?"

He knew about magic, he knew about Scott, there was no point in lying to him.

"The woods told me."

Danny looked scared again, but it was a different kind of scared, not like before when he was just wary and reluctant of coming with her - it was right out _fear_. He scrambled out of the chair and started _kneeling down_.

"Sorry, Mother, I didn't know - I didn't mean to desecrate your hold."

"OK, What is going on?" The question was direct at both Daniel and the woods.

'He's apologizing, Mother, for his mistake.'

'For coming into your hold to try and get rid of his heritage.'

'For trying to be who he isn't by attacking you.'

"OK, OK, Danny, stand up, you didn't do anything wrong. Danny, please!"

The boy - he looked so young - scrambled back to his feet and sat down again, but now looking more fearful than ever.

"Danny, I'm not going to do anything."

"You have to. I desecrated your woods, and if they called for you that means they are looking for payment."

'Not true - not this time.'

"They aren't"

'We heard his cries.'

'We knew he needed a mother'

"They heard your cry, they wanted you to be found so you wouldn't die."

'Make him pay the kindness.'

'He knows the rules and he won't like to owe a favor.'

"Eat a cookie."

"What?"

"I'll consider your affront forgiven if you eat a cookie and finish your chocolate."

Danny gaped at her.

"Seriously?"

"Have a cookie, Danny."

The boy grabbed another cookie gingerly and ate it, bit by bit. Melissa just smiled at him when he finished his chocolate and she served him more without waiting for him to ask. He was still reluctant, but she smiled and she saw his shoulders fall back. 

"How - how long have you been the Mistress of these woods, Mother?"

"Can I ask you not to call me either? It's creepy that the woods think I'm their mother, and mistress has connotations that, well, you know..."

"How should I call you?"

"Mrs. McCall. I'm still me, aren't I?"

She asked with genuine worry, and that made Danny frown. 

"Mrs. McCall, how long have you been the Mistress of the Woods?"

"A month?"

Danny's eyes opened wide and he ate another cookie. And downed the chocolate.

"Mrs. McCall, what is going on? This all seems like a huge mess and apparently I walked in the middle of it."

"That's a very good way to put it, actually. What do you know?"

"That your son is a werewolf, and somehow he became an alpha - which means that he killed someone because I can't believe that he is a True Alpha, he's sixteen!" Melissa couldn't help but raise her eyebrow at him. "I'm sorry, but it doesn't make sense! He's only been a wolf since the Wolf Moon, the only other wolf is Lahey, and I thought he belonged to the Hales? Oh, God, did he kill a Hale?"

"My son is a True Alpha, and Isaac is part of his pack, as is Stiles, Lydia, Allison Argent, Sheriff Stilinski and myself. We're still hazy on the how it happened, all that we know is what the woods tell me - that I gave him the crown to be a Risen King. That's the reason why the woods chose me instead of any other member of the pack to take care of them, at least until Scott is ready - since the ghost of Laura Hale told them to follow him."

As a medical professional she didn't understand how could Danny's eyes open any wider. 

"We are a ragtag pack, to be honest we have no idea what we are doing. Probably the only one who knows is Deaton, Scott's boss, he's a druid, and he is so secretive I don't trust him anymore. The woods, by extension, don't either and I think they are spying on him now. Allison and her father, they are hunters, and Allison is definitely part of this but I think Chris is reluctant because of what he grew up knowing about werewolves. Stiles is technically training with Deaton to be an emissary but I don't see any advance on that front and as far as I know they haven't interacted at all since this particular mess started, and John - that's the Sheriff to you - and I ended up in the middle of it because of course we were not going to let our children try to deal with a massive serial murderer, or should I say murderers, on their own. That somehow turned me into the caretaker of the woods and trust me when I tell you they are a bunch of puppies, which makes me wonder what will happen when I encounter a truly old tree - it scares the crap out of me." Throughout her little speech she saw that Danny was more surprised but less afraid and by its end he seemed much more like the teenager she used to see at the Lacrosse matches. She could even see a bit of the swagger back into him. "What about you?"

Danny looked at her, and she tried to give him her most motherly face. 

It worked.

"I'm a moonsinger. The easiest way to describe me is a mage from World of Warcraft - I increase or decrease other's magical abilities, since a lot of the magic in the world is related to the moon. So of course basically every magical creature would want to get a hold of me so I can increase their powers, or decrease those of their enemies. It's an inherited trait, but it has to be woken up by choice - which I made when they killed Alex."

"And now he's back."

"And now he's back."

"You think he's after you."

"I... I don't know. I truly don't. But I can't help but suspect that everything that happened between us was just a farce to get me to wake up. So, yeah, I'm angry at him."

"And afraid of us."

"Well, sorry, but yes. Well, I was, until you said that you truly don't know what you are doing. Then I can pretend you are not after me and I can skip town before you realize how to bind me to your pack."

"We would never do that, Danny. Scott didn't ask for the bite - he was basically _raped_ into this. Do you have any idea how he feels about all this? He tried to kill himself once, for Christ's sake!" Her heart had broken in a million pieces when Scott had finally told her what had happened in that Motel, when they were all seeing visions and ghosts. She had bought Stiles a large pizza and thanked him repeatedly for keeping her son from doing _that_ , and cried herself to sleep that night, thinking of all the things she had done wrong. Scott had heard her for she woke up surrounded not only by Scott and Isaac, but the whole pack had somehow managed to fit in her room, with John hilariously trying to fit himself in one of the chairs, Stiles legs on top of the bed and his body on the floor, Allison and Lydia somehow wedged between her and Scott and Isaac and Chris standing guard over all of them, not asleep. "We are doing the best we can not only to survive whatever the hell is coming to us, but to protect everyone around here from even finding out, and yes, we are doing a lousy job at it but we try, and if that means protecting _you_ from _ourselves_ trust me, Danny, that we will. As a matter of fact, I give you my word that as long as I am Mistress of the Beacon Hills Woods they will do as much as they can to protect _you_!"

'Your word is our command, Mother.'

It was the first time she had given the woods a direct order, and she felt the power surging through her, and spreading through the preserve. Danny looked at the window - he had heard the ruffle of the leaves too. When they both looked back, a magnificent silver rod was resting on the table. Melissa knew it belonged to Danny and waited for him to pick it up.

"I am not part of the pack."

"No, that's Scott's dominion."

"But you will protect me."

"Yes, I will. _We_ will."

"Why?"

Melissa saw the tear leave Danny's eye as she was giving him her answer. She knew it was a tear of joy, that he had never expected protection from them - just to be used like a rag. She still didn't understand why, but at least she knew what he was going through, and she'd do her damned best to help him.

"Because that's what mothers do."


	6. Scott

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The effect was instantaneous. Scott felt the wolf in him rise to the challenge and he was pretty sure his eyes were crimson - even if they were surrounded by unawares. Isaac's posture straightened, a growl reverberated in his throat, and Scott heard his beta's claws being drawn, Allison dropped the menu and moved her hands to where her ring daggers were hidden, he could hear Lydia's heels clicking outside until they stopped like someone grabbed her, and Stiles grabbed the knife on the table and pointed it to Alex, who was just calmly sipping at his coffee.

Scott was used to having some sort of breakfast. His mother was good at having leftovers ready to be warmed up in the microwave and she would always make sure he'd have at least thirty minutes so he could sit down and eat it properly. Seldom was the time that he only had coffee on his system before noon, and that was usually when he spent the night at Stiles'. 

It hadn't been a productive night. Him and Stiles and Isaac tried to make some sense of what they knew about moonsingers and why would witches be interested in Danny, but there was so little information it was like looking for a needle in a haystack. Stiles tried to contact Lorena to see if she knew anything else, but it sounded like she had cried and Stiles went into comfort mode and they didn't learn anything on that conversation. And they also had to do homework, so of course they needed to stop with their research at some point. His mother had a shift - but she finished around three and he had already checked the text on his phone that told him everything was alright - and the Sheriff was still at the station, trying to get more info under Rafael's nose. 

It looked like it was going to be a long day, and he wasn't exactly looking forward to it. 

The worst was that everyday was starting to look like this.

Allison and Isaac were already waiting for them, and he could see something had happened because Allison was standing a bit too far from Isaac. He knew it wasn't his business. He knew he shouldn't ask. 

"Hey, you guys alright?"

"What?" Both of them jumped, Allison too distracted trying to keep distance from Isaac and Isaac too distracted trying to pretend he didn't notice Allison was trying to keep distance from him. "Yeah, we're fine, we're fine."

"You guys sure?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't we be?"

"Hey guys! Hey, did something happen?"

Isaac hunched a bit, so it was something on Allison's side. 

Don't ask, don't ask, don't ask.

"Allison?"

Shut up, Stiles.

"I... I had a weird dream, that's all." Isaac looked at Scott who looked at the both of them, not understanding what was going on. "I'm fine, seriously."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No! Like I said, I'm fine."

"Hey guys - Allison, sweetie, what happened?" Lydia had arrived at that moment and apparently she was also very aware that something had happened with Allison. His ex made a gesture that he had learned meant that she was mortified and Lydia made a gesture that meant that _she_ was going to walk with Allison and that they were to keep their distance and not use their werewolf hearing. And since they all knew how terrifying Lydia could be they did. They talked about inconsequential stuff (Stiles flat out refused to discuss any of the weirdness going on and Scott agreed) and lacrosse and things that could be considered normal for them. They all noticed that Danny wasn't at school and that had Scott worried until they saw him enter in third period with a pink slip on his hand. And he felt more comforted when Danny actually looked at them and smiled. Even if he still sat four rows away from them. 

As a matter of fact, Scott felt his inner wolf pace happily after seeing Danny come in - when it had been stressed and concerned all the time before.   
When they were getting together to get lunch, he saw Danny looking at him, and with a gesture of his head he asked him to follow him. He immediately gestured the whole pack to do so - even if that meant he wouldn't get any lunch because Stiles. They found Danny near the bleachers farthest away from the school, hoping not to be overheard or seen. Allison did a quick glance at the perimeter and was satisfied with it.

"Hey guys."

"Hey Danny, how are you?"

"Better. Better. I need to talk to you. All of you."

"We're here."

"What's going on?" Lydia's voice was worried. Yet, Danny looked like he was chewing his words, trying to find the best way to say them.

"First of all, I'm sorry. I treated you unfairly, I made assumptions that I shouldn't have done, and I honestly panicked."

"No need to apologize for that - I don't know if we told you this but we usually don't have any idea what we are doing."

"That's his pitch to get you into the pack. It worked with me."

Danny looked at Isaac with a bit of fear, but breathed in and squared his shoulders. Then he looked at Scott.

"Your mother granted me protection. I am not part of your pack - I need to understand who I am, and what it means, and all that jazz, and I don't know how long will that take or if that will lead me to your pack or not. But at least I wanted to apologize and... And I don't want to be alone. I know I can't be your friend after what I said to you, but is it wrong that I want to? To be your friend. If you still want me to."

Scott smiled at him, both wolf and human, and nodded. And right after that little movement of his head Lydia jumped to hug Danny, and he followed because hell, they all needed good news, and before he could even breath Danny found himself surrounded by Scott's pack. 

Danny's _friends_.

And Lydia immediately led them back to the cafeteria because nobody had brought lunches and they were all starving. Stiles begun to assault Danny with questions but Danny was oddly talkative - if eternally annoyed with Stiles - and Lydia felt comfortable enough to share with him what they had learned about Alex. Even Isaac joined the conversation, particularly after Allison started behaving more comfortably around him again like she had worked out whatever had happened when talking to Lydia. Scott could actually breathe in relief by feeling his pack whole - even if Danny wasn't pack, he was to them - and for a moment he felt like everything could be alright. 

They were driving back to his house to have pack meeting (and Danny had agreed to join them) when he smelled him. Now that he had spent three months with him, he finally realized there _was_ something off with his smell, an undertone of marigolds and bay leaves hidden by his human scent. He told Stiles to pull over and immediately Allison's, Lydia's and Danny's cars followed. 

"Why are we stopping at Minnie's?"

He waited until everyone was within earshot. Until Danny could hear.

"He's in there." 

Danny flinched, and everybody understood who he was talking about. 

The wolf saw a threat to his pack, and took charge. 

"Scott, please."

"He's making you uncomfortable. I can't have that."

"What? Why?"

"Because you are my friend."

Scott entered followed by his entire pack except for Lydia, who stayed outside with Danny. Alex - who looked exactly as the first day they met him, not a trace of any wounds but his original scars on his face or neck - was sitting in a booth with what looked to be an expensive lawyer and his face changed from business to fear to contempt as he took them in. Scott stood right there next to them, looking at Alex's cup of coffee and the remainders of the lawyer's lunch. The lawyer looked at them and back to Alex but whiplashed his head to look at Scott, like he was looking at some sort of freak.

"Aurelius, leave us."

"Are you sure, Mr. Karahalios?"

"Yes."

The lawyer stood up and left - but not a step later he backtracked and looked at Scott's eyes intently, like trying to catch a glimpse of his soul. Scott knew what he wanted to see, and since none of the patrons were paying attention to him he drew his eyes red. The lawyer's mouth opened slack, and it took him a good thirty seconds to regain his composure. He looked at Alex who basically told him with his body language that he could go fuck himself and the lawyer took a business card and handled it to Scott. "With your status, at some point you will need a lawyer. Don't hesitate to contact me or my firm - we have a whole department dedicated to the supernatural." And with those words he left.

What had just happened?

Scott slid in the booth right across from Alex, while Stiles slid right next to the immortal boy, making Alex's expression change from one of curiosity aimed at Scott to one of irritation aimed at his best friend. Isaac leaned casually to the booth next to Scott while Allison grabbed a menu and looked interested in it, without looking menacing or anything. Alex glanced at all of them, and wiped his mouth.

"What do you want?"

"You. Out of my territory."

"And why is that? I haven't made any threats that would warrant a prosecution."

"You make Danny uncomfortable. That's enough for me."

"So he is part of your little pack."

"No, he isn't. He doesn't want to be and I will not force it on him. But he doesn't like you. And since he _is_ my friend, he gets a saying and you don't. I want you out."

"And if I refuse? You haven't held court, you haven't heard my reasons for coming. As a matter of fact, for an alpha you are a pretty lousy one."

"Consider this your court, smart-ass," Stiles was smiling at Alex but it was a smile Scott knew very well. It was the smile of 'you don't want to mess with the Sheriff's kid'.

Back when they were younger a lot of kids thought that if they befriended them they would get favors out of Stiles to avoid the law. Thing is, they were too weird for anyone to put up with them. And Stiles flat out refused to use his father for anything like that. So they became the pariahs. But that didn't mean some of the seniors tried to intimidate them into getting them out of tickets and stuff like that. The effect had been the opposite, since Stiles is a master pranker.

"Fine, if you want to do it this way. I seek passage through your territory since I've been drawn to it by a mysterious power that I don't understand. I promise to hold up the law, not to go after your pack and not to seek your friends. Since I technically died I can assure you I don't have to pretend to be a high schooler anymore, so I'll do my business and as soon as I understand what drew me here I'll leave."

"A sanctuary was woken in this area," Allison had been the one to talk, non-chalantly - like she was reading to herself the different combinations of eggs and veggies that she could get, "A Nemeton. Its power sings to all magical creatures in the vicinity - it's the reason why you feel an attraction to this place. That's it. Now you can leave."

"No. I know the song of a Sanctuary - it's not like this is the first one to wake up in my life time. It's something else. Something deeper. Something _older_." He looked back at Scott. "So, oh mighty alpha, what is your response to my request?"

"Not granted."

"I challenge it."

The effect was instantaneous. Scott felt the wolf in him rise to the challenge and he was pretty sure his eyes were crimson - even if they were surrounded by unawares. Isaac's posture straightened, a growl reverberated in his throat, and Scott heard his beta's claws being drawn, Allison dropped the menu and moved her hands to where her ring daggers were hidden, he could hear Lydia's heels clicking outside until they stopped like someone grabbed her, and Stiles grabbed the knife on the table and pointed it to Alex, who was just calmly sipping at his coffee. 

The expression was wrong in his face, smug, cunning, mocking, but in pain - so unlike the one who had been his friend before usually wore, afraid and melancholic but happy. Scott wondered which one was the lie, the mask that he used.

"No, not here, in front of so many people."

"One hour, the woods."

"Make it three, I still have to get my cane back - your father is making my lawyer go through hell."

"My father?"

"Oh, you didn't know? My bad. How will I know where?"

"We have your phone number, we'll text you the coordinates."

"Lovely. Now, if you excuse me, please fuck off. I need to finish my coffee and I'd like to do it alone."

Isaac still looked ready to strike him right there, but Allison held him back, and Stiles went to help her. Scott waited until they were halfway through the door to rise and give Alex one last look. He just waived him off, like he was a nobleman being bothered by a peasant - which to him, he probably was.

Before leaving he looked back at him again. Maybe it was a trick of the light, but he looked much more like the guy they used to hang out with, hunched down, hiding from the world. And maybe it was a trick of the light, but it looked like he was crying.


	7. Meliss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She looked at the ceiling. She was seriously considering having a word with a _bunch of trees_.

'Mother, wake up.'

Melissa was trying to catch up with her sleep. Of course she would never tell him, but having to go find Danny and then bring him back to her house had robbed her of precious, precious sleep hours that she intended to recover - if at least in some capacity - before her next shift. All her curtains were drawn, there hadn't been any sunlight coming into them and she had sent the kid packing to his house so he could discuss the new development of his situation with his family. So she was sleeping.

'Mother, wake up.'

'The Singer's guardians are coming.'

'You need to hold court.'

So of course, the woods were talking to her in her dreams. Telling her to wake up.

Since they had not done it before and she had actually _commanded_ at them earlier that morning she assumed it was something serious. Otherwise she'd be having a word with them.

She looked at the ceiling. She was seriously considering having a word with a _bunch of trees_.

Her phone rang.

"Yeah?"

"Mel? Are you alright?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Because I was just patrolling and now I feel the need to drive by your house."

"The woods are telling me I need to hold court, maybe for that?"

"Court? What the hell is that?"

"Do you really think I know?"

"I'll be there in a few minutes."

She barely had time to put on a robe and come downstairs and open the door to find the Mahealanis on her porch, Leilani with a finger directed at the doorbell. 

"Good morning Leilani, Marcus, Mr. Mahealani?" She had expected to see Leilani or Marcus at some point in the day, assuming Danny had talked to them. She didn't expect to see the whole Mahealani clan at her door at ten in the morning. "Would you like to come in?"

"What did you do to my son?"

"Excuse me?"

"My son, Melissa, came home this morning after being away all day and all night - we were worried about him! Why didn't you bring him to us? What did you do to him?"

"Lei..."

"Don't you 'Lei' me, Marcus, I want to know what she did! He was set on us leaving as soon as possible and then he gets home this morning and says we can stay? I want to know what she did! I want to know if she enslaved my son!"

"Maka!"

A raven came down out of nowhere and clawed at Leilani until she stepped back, leaving a wide gap between them. 

"What just happened?"

Melissa suddenly realized there were _a lot_ of squirrels in the vicinity. And a lot of crows. And a lot of magpies. And all of them were looking at them like they were waiting to _attack_. 

Also, that was the moment when John parked in the sidewalk and walked to them. 

"Is there a problem, Melissa? Mrs. Mahealani?"

"My dear," Mr. Mahealani was talking to her, one hand on his cane and another one grabbing his daughter, who looked bewildered at John, drawing her attention, "Who exactly are we talking to?"

"I believe the woods call me Mother."

Melissa didn't know what compelled her to answer like that, and she couldn't help but feel like she had joined the Mafia. Mr. Mahealani immediately bowed his head and muttered an apology, and his daughter looked at her now fearful, but still angry at her.

It was Marcus who spoke next, even if according to Danny he was the one who didn't have any magical abilities.

"I'm sorry for all this, Melissa, but we wanted to know what happened last night between you and Danny. As I understand, he revealed to you what he is and we would like to know what does that mean to you and to your son."

"I understand, Marcus, Leilani, sir. Come on in - I need coffee."

The eyes of the birds and the critters followed them inside. Melissa went in first, and not until she was well inside she heard everybody else follow her, leaving a wide gap between them.

She suddenly realized there were going to be a lot of animals in her backyard that morning.

Yeah, there was a robin in her kitchen windowsill - and she wasn't even sure robins were supposed to be in the preserve so far into November. It looked like it wanted to come in but she just raised an eyebrow at it and set up the coffee maker. 

"Can I help?"

Marcus was standing in the doorway, watching her. She just motioned him to grab some mugs that were closer to him while she set up a small tray. He seemed awkward and fumbling - very much unlike the successful engineer she knew him to be, always present at the PTA meetings even if that meant cancelling some important business trip or conference meeting.

"I apologize for my wife's behavior, Melissa, I'm sure you didn't expect to wake up to an earful from her."

"I didn't expect to come home to the cries of your son last night neither, but that didn't stop me from picking him up in the woods."

"What happened?"

"What did he tell you? You know what, let's go back - no need to repeat ourselves."

"I'd rather have something to calm Lei before she sees you again - she tends to overreact, and right now she's stewing."

"I know, but I'd be a horrible person if I let you face her alone."

"The Sheriff is keeping her in check."

He took the tray and walked behind her, settling it in the coffee table before sitting himself. Melissa noted that all her movements were followed by Mr. Mahealani, and all the Mahealani's movements were followed by the squirrels and the _stag_ that were just hanging out in her backyard. 

No, she was not scared of what it meant to be the Mother to these woods _at all_. But ten in the morning was still too early to down a shot of tequila. So instead she grabbed her mug of coffee, motioned at her guests to do the same thing, and drank.

John remained standing up, behind her right side, like he had done at Deaton's.

"Last night. I was coming home from my shift when I heard a cry in the woods. They guided me to your son, who was freezing to death in the middle of the preserve. I brought him here, gave him warm drinks and let him change into some of Scott's clothes - I didn't want him to get hypothermia. We talked about who he is and who I am, and since he told me he was afraid of any magical creatures in this town, including myself, I ordered the woods to always protect him as long as I am their Mother. He's free to go, he's free to stay, he's free to do whatever he wants. He was not bound to Scott's pack," she added before Leilani could open her mouth to retaliate, "I just wanted him to be able to carry on with his life, the way he has so far. I wouldn't want anything else."

"What does he owe you?"

"Excuse me?"

"We know how this works, dear."

"Well, I actually don't. The woods insisted on taking payment for being desecrated, and Danny paid - don't worry, I only made him eat a cookie and that was enough for me, and therefore, the woods, but I offered him my protection with no strings attached. Trust me, Lei," she turned to look at Danny's mother in the eyes, "I may not know what is going through your mind, but I know the fear that goes when you realize your son is entering the supernatural. You don't need to be afraid of me, I'm just trying to protect them, and them includes your son." 

Danny's mother couldn't hold her gaze. She looked back at her mug. 

"I'm afraid, Melissa, because now that you put my son under your protection, everybody will know what he is. And they will covet him. And they will go after you and then, when they manage to make you let him go, they'll be like vultures circling around the corpse." She took a large gulp of coffee and looked at her father, who nodded. "We've been hiding for generations. The last active of us was a thousand years ago? We should be forgotten. We should have forgotten our abilities. But we can't. They are part of who we are. Part of the reason why I'm so good at business it's because I can see little trends in the market. Part of the reason why Danny is such a good goalie is because he can anticipate the movements of the players."

"So you see the future?"

"Glimpses and glances. We are not seers - we can't foresee events. But little things, like the fact that two women will knock the door about now..." the doorbell rang, and Melissa nodded at the Sheriff, who went to get it, "yes, we do. It has to do with the fact that the moon oversees everything. It's ingrained - and the fact that we cannot _not_ use it it's what hasn't let us completely give up who we are."

"I see."

"But you don't. The extent of what we can do. Nobody does anymore. We are legend, we are myth, and that's makes it more dangerous to Danny."

"And like I said, I'll do as much as a I can to protect them. I'm more worried about the fact that apparently not even you know what he can do, and that means he's dangerous to himself. We'll need to find someone or something, dear God that's a possibility, that knows and start training him."

"We have our knowledge, still. We'll make do."

"Lei, I want you to rest assured - your son is OK, and he's free."

Leilani just looked at her mug again. After a moment, she just nodded. 

"Mel?"

"Yes, John?"

John came in and whispered to her ear.

"Apparently you are holding court today, because Monica Martin and her mother are in the foyer right now."

"What? Oh, God. Wait, Monica Martin? As in...?"

"Lydia's mother, yes."

"I'll be with them in a moment. Lei, Marcus, Mr. Mahealani, anything else I can help you with?"

"Not really. And thanks, Melissa, for doing this."

"No problem, Marcus. Now, if you excuse me, apparently I'm holding court in my robes."

"That was entirely our fault. Again, we apologize."

"We'll talk later. Have a nice day."

The Mahealanis stood up and left. Melissa saw them out, and then focused her attention on the large basket with herbs Barbara Savant was holding in her hand. Melissa remembered her mother and how she told her oregano would always mean home. 

"For you, Mother. A gift to honor thee."

"How do you know my title?"

"The woods sing praises of you, Mother, of she who gave the King his crown. I'm surprised none of the Seelie - or the Unseelie - has visited you since it's rare that a human has the capacity to grant that power. It was only natural for the woods to follow you."

"I have no idea what you just said." Barbara smiled, but something else hid behind that smile, and Melissa put her guard up.

"Maybe we can work up a deal, my knowledge for a favor?"

"No." Barbara raised an eyebrow. "I don't deal in favors. If you want something you name your price - otherwise I'll name it myself. If you only came to let me know you were in the territory I will grant you passage as long as you don't harm the woods or my family, and I mean my _entire_ family." Melissa had looked at John when saying that, implying that the whole Pack was her family. Barbara just curtsied. "If that's all, Ms. Savant? Monica, would you mind staying a little bit?"

"We are going to talk about Lydia, aren't we?"

"I'm afraid so. She's part of my family too after all."

"Very well. Mother, will you stay?"

"I'm afraid I need permission to do so. What about my knowledge for a place in your couch?"

"Very well. But just for this conversation."


	8. Isaac

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> But then, he looked at all of them and he remembered why they were there. His face fell completely into a mask of blankness and he just stood there, waiting to see who was the next to challenge him.

"You don't have to do this. You don't have to be here."

"I do. I have to. I've seen him fight - I don't want him to hurt you badly."

"Wouldn't that attach you to the pack?"

Danny looked at his feet like he hadn't considered what Scott was saying. He gave it a minute, maybe two, when he looked back up. 

"No - as long as I don't fight, or try to fight to defend you, or you fighting to defend me, or use my abilities to favor you - that shouldn't be a problem, I can't do jack shit - but I can still be an spectator - and I know some of the rules to fight and stuff - that way he can't weasel out or anything."

"Anything we should know?"

"Let me see. Since he challenged you the pack has the right to protect the alpha - that is, members of the pack have the first fight. But when Scott goes in and fights, it's the final battle. You can always yield, but if you don't, the fight can only finish with the death of one of the combatants. I saw him die - so we can call that the end of the battle, no need to worry about him coming back."

"Danny, thanks."

Scott smiled his goofy, dopey smile and Danny stepped back, grinning. Isaac felt a little pang in his heart - jealousy? Why would he be jealous? Scott was always this nice to everyone. 

But that thought would have to wait - they all heard the slow steps of Alex getting to the clearing. As soon as he appeared through the woods Danny separated himself from everyone else, and the pack rallied next to Scott. 

Isaac immediately positioned himself to the right of his Alpha, and Allison to his left. Lydia and Stiles remained a couple of steps behind, aware that they were not fighters. 

"Well, this is interesting. He keeps popping up even if you say he's not Pack." The vitriol he used to say the word made the hairs in the back of Isaac's neck stand, like it was an insult to his mere _being_. "What are you doing here, Danny? Came to see a carnage?"

"I know the rules and laws of fighting. I came to keep you from cheating."

Isaac heard a lie in there, but he wasn't sure what had been the lie. It's like Danny's heartbeat had been erratic throughout the whole phrase. 

"Alright. Since I challenged a decision the pack has the right to fight me. Is this the place where we'll fight?"

"Yes." Scott answered, looking at Alex wave his cane while he kept walking. So the limp had been a lie.

"Very well. Who's first?"

Isaac didn't even wait for Scott to say anything - the wolf in him was already snarling at Alex, trying to intimidate him. Alex simply stopped fidgeting with his cane and did an interesting flourish with it, like he was testing its weight. It ended with a horse stand, the tip of the cane in the palm of his extended left hand, like a sword he needed to control.

"Come at me, puppy."

Isaac charged.

He didn't even see the movement Alex's right hand did to flip the cane just so the handle would be the attacking portion, instead of the tip. He also didn't see the moment when Alex just _lunged_ his torso forward directing the cane, his feet moving not even an inch.

He only felt the impact in his trachea.

He felt his bones breaking under the impact, his body flying backwards like he was in a weird Japanese cartoon. As soon as his back broke against the floor he saw the tip of the cane approaching his throat at fast velocity - it could puncture his neck, even if it was blunt, at that speed.

He was not stupid. He croaked yield and the cane stopped barely a few millimeters from his carotid. Alex smiled - like always, a mixture of melancholy and joy, but now it included a bit of cruelty.

"Good boy."

His attitude was cocky, but he still helped Isaac get up - carefully, letting his vertebrae readjust themselves - and let Stiles help him get up and they went back to Scott, who immediately ruffled his hair like saying everything was fine, that it didn't matter. The wolf sought his alpha, but he couldn't help but feel that he had disappointed him.

"It's alright. It's alright."

Isaac wasn't sure if anyone else heard but he had whined. He sat at Scott's feet who was engaged in a silent conversation with Allison.

"Who's next? Stiles?"

"Oh, no, I don't fight, unless we make it a battle of wits, and I still don't stand a chance with a dinosaur like you!"

"Hey! I don't look that old!"

Allison raised an eyebrow and Scott gave up. She walked gingerly to the middle of the clearing and stood in the middle, taking a mantis pose, where Alex repeated his flourish. She attacked. 

Unlike him, she was able to surprise Alex because Alex had to defend this time. Where she would kick he would use his cane to stop her, but where he would lunge she would use her body to avoid him and look for openings, hitting him in the torso, in the kneecaps, in the calves. But he was learning her, and a couple of minutes later he started to gain the advantage. 

That's when she got her daggers out. It took Alex by surprise so hard she was able to inflict an injury to his face, rendering him blind. But it didn't slow him or anger him - he kept fighting, like he had been blind the whole time and he was just on a roll, even if blood was trickling from his face - from his eyes. He wouldn't even take out the sword Danny said was hidden in the cane, just using it as a baton to block Allison's advances. Allison was winning until she misstepped and Alex took his chance, managing to pin Allison on the floor and choke her with his cane. She tried to push him but he had placed himself in a very stable position, and it was evident Allison was losing oxygen.

"Allison!"

"I yield!"

Alex stood up and raised his hand in the general direction of the pack, asking for a timeout. Lydia and Stiles went after Allison - Isaac tried to as well, but Scott kept him in place, aware that his back was still mending - and brought her back to where they were standing. Scott started fussing over her but she was fine, just catching her breath. It looked like she wanted to go again, but she had yielded and therefore it was over. 

They all looked to Alex, who seemed to just be catching his breath as well. It was obvious the skin was mending, leaving only those scars that were already part of his, hiding out the effect of the daggers. He opened his eyes and they were bloodshot and cloudy, but slowly they turned into the shining green that they usually were. He looked at Allison and smiled at her, _excited_.

"That was FANTASTIC! You were amazing! Nice trick with the daggers, definitely threw me out for a moment and then you changed your fighting style completely, that was REALLY good."

But then, he looked at all of them and he remembered why they were there. His face fell completely into a mask of blankness and he just stood there, waiting to see who was the next to challenge him. 

Scott stood up, and slowly started advancing towards the clearing, shedding the hoodie and remaining only in a t-shirt. Isaac felt the power of his alpha seeping through, claws coming out, eyes turning red, fangs extending. Isaac stood up as well, leaning on Stiles, to get a better view. 

Alex smiled and his smile was like nothing they had seen before. Even Danny seemed scared of that smile. A thin, feral smile. He adopted a completely different stand, baton on top of his head, left hand extended like a mock-up shield. Isaac had seen that pose before, when he had looked online into fighting methods and had spend a couple of hours reading about bartitsu.

For someone who claimed to be two and a half millenia old, Alex definitely had a predilection for England in the nineteen hundreds.

Scott charged towards Alex, but Isaac could see that there were at least three different attacks he could use on him, meaning that it was not easy to spot what he was going to do next. Isaac knew, but he didn't know how he knew. 

Must be a wolf thing.

Alex threw the baton up and then flexed backwards, avoiding the claws before catching the cane and swinging it back towards Scott.

It was nothing to his alpha. He just dodged it and lunged forward.

They were evenly matched, and to Isaac it was painfully obvious why. While he wasn't supernaturally strong, or fast, or had any of the senses werewolves had, Alex controlled his body. He knew how to move up to the millimeter. Every swing was controlled, every punch was measured, every kick was calculated. He was also flexible capable of bending himself to avoid attacks - or to give them more momentum. Scott, on the other hand, was much more comfortable with his wolf than Isaac had ever seen him - there was power in every single movement he made, and he seemed to relish in his senses when anticipating every little thing Alex was about to do. Smell the cane, feel the rustle of wind at the movement of the wrist, the position of the hairs following the head.

Scott was about to strike with his claws Alex's face so the older boy was forced to use his cane to stop it. The claws dug into the wood, and before Scott could rip it away from Alex the other boy twisted the handler so the sword could come out.

In an interesting reversal of roles, Alex became more animalistic in his attacks, using the sword like an extension of his arm. Scott became more guarded, as if the wolf was afraid of the blade and it was the human who had to fight now.

Isaac wanted to help. He wanted to do _something_.

Something inside of him started to howl and snarl and _cheer_ for Scott. This fight was for survival - they could not let this kid stumble in their territory and take it away from them. There was a hierarchy to be respected, and he had insulted a friend of the Pack - he could not win. He should not win. He focused on Scott, the same way he had focused on Camden on Halloween. 

Scott's claws lengthened just a little. His frame became more defined. Crimson red deepened in his eyes. 

Allison grabbed his hand. Now with the wolf he felt a song of silver and steel inside his head. Scott's movements became faster and more controlled. Hunting, instead of defending. Overwhelmed, Alex started backing down. Stiles positioned himself so Isaac could be standing more firmly and Isaac now felt salt and brimstone, fire, earth, air and water. Ideas. And now Scott was daring, doing movements that he would've considered impossible just a minute before. Lydia's hand touched his torso and Isaac knew that Scott would win, that all the pieces were assembled. With a swift movement of his claws Scott slashed the sword to pieces and with an acrobatic use of his body Scott was able to pin Alex's head between his thighs, forcing him into submission. He raised his claws to deliver the final blow but Danny screamed at them, asking Scott to stop, and he did, the tip of his claws barely touching Alex's face.

"I haven't yielded."

"You don't need to. My point is clear. And I don't kill."

"A little mercy for the cripple?"

"Danny? What do you want me to do with him?"

Danny looked at them, evidently cross. 

"Let him be. As long as he doesn't bother me, or any of us, I don't see why he can't do whatever he's supposed to do."

In less than a second Scott stood up and he was Scott again, and he offered his unclawed hand to Alex so he could stand up. But he didn't take it. No, he was looking at Scott like he was a riddle. A riddle he couldn't solve.

"What was that?"

"What was what?"

"I didn't yield, and yet the fight finished. How..?"

Alex looked at the four of them, like trying to make sense of what he had just seen, and then back a Scott, who started to frown.

Isaac could swear he saw the light bulb go on top of Alex's head, and he started to retreat, his face a mixture of fear and wonder.

"You are a true alpha."

"Yeah, I am." Scott replied in that goofy way that he does whenever he thinks something is not important. Like being a true alpha was something that had just happened to him, not something he had earned. 

"It's you. It's your power that I felt. A True Alpha."

Isaac heard the capitalization, and he was sure everyone else did. They were all looking at Alex who just kept gaping at them. 

"In all my life I haven't seen a True Alpha before. I heard of them, yes, but I've never seen any. A thing of legends."

Scott suddenly turned to look at him and he was sure he heard his name out of his alpha's mouth but the world had started spinning and then everything faded to black.


	9. John

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Mel, I've only known for a couple of months. Of course I go to bed wishing I didn't know, but then I remember that my son has been getting himself in danger because of it, and honestly, I'd rather he didn't, so it's better that I know." Melissa smiled at him again, and this time he was sure he blushed. "But also it eats me inside, you know? Every day I get to the station and I can't help but look at the archive room, and wonder about all those cold cases. About how many are probably supernatural in origin and I just didn't know the facts. Am I going the right way?"

John was driving his cruiser, with Melissa - Mel - on the passenger seat, finishing putting her hair up like she always did when she went to the hospital. After picking the boys up from wherever she said they were she was going to start a shift. 

Lately, he had started to realize how much he loved the way her hair framed her face when arranged like that.

"What?"

She smiled at him. He just turned to the front, said nothing, and hoped he hadn't blushed.

"So much for us trying to protect Monica from the supernatural, and it turns out that she already knew."

"I know, right? Lydia is not going to be happy - she's been so alone in this. She'll be mad at her. At both of them."

"Monica wanted a normal life. And she thought the more she stayed away from it the less she would have to face the consequences. And then she thought she could wait until her mother got here. It makes sense in a sad, weird kind of way."

"Do you ever think about it? About not knowing?"

"Mel, I've only known for a couple of months. Of course I go to bed wishing I didn't know, but then I remember that my son has been getting himself in danger because of it, and honestly, I'd rather he didn't, so it's better that I know." Melissa smiled at him again, and this time he was sure he blushed. "But also it eats me inside, you know? Every day I get to the station and I can't help but look at the archive room, and wonder about all those cold cases. About how many are probably supernatural in origin and I just didn't know the facts. Am I going the right way?"

"Yeah, there will be a dirt road in a couple miles, turn left and take it. That sounds... scary. Please tell me you won't look into it alone."

"You want me to drag the kids into it?"

"No - but you've got me, Mother of the woods, remember? There's Chris, too, even if he's been..."

"Spacey?"

"So it's not just me, huh?"

"Nope, definitely something's up with him." 

"I think he's still conflicted about the idea of being part of the Pack, no matter how open Scott is to him."

"Well, he did grow with a picture of werewolves."

"Do you wonder if he still blames Derek for Victoria?"

"Maybe it's worse, you know - maybe now that he knows that Victoria could've lived without becoming a monster, it's eating him alive."

"Yeah..."

"It feels weird, talking about it. Talking about everyone else - the Mahealanis, Monica, her mother. That was scary, by the way, the way she talked, she moved. The way she insisted in getting a favor from you."

"She's fae, or at least that's what the woods told me. Just like Lydia. But since she's known of magic and her own heritage for a while, she behaves much more like it. Thank god hers is not the only religion that deals in favors. My grandmother always warned me against it - she used to say that devils would walk down the street trying to get you to do something for them. After all, what was a favor for a poor old man?"

"Was your grandmother supersticious?"

"Oh, boy, you have no idea - she talked of the dead as if they were old friends, and would tell me stories of ghosts and devils roaming down the streets, back where she came from. She even said that once the devil went inside a church in order to claim the soul of someone who had made a deal with him!" She looked pensive for a moment, and gave him a couple more directions, "you know, those were the stories I grew up with. Since I married Rafe so young and was so distracted with putting myself through nursing school I fell back into more classic ones with Scott - he doesn't know any of them. Even my mother would roll her eyes at the idea though, so I never felt bad. Now I wonder if we would be better prepared if he knew them, or if I knew them better."

"Mel, listen to yourself: who in their right mind would believe that ghosts and werewolves are real?"

"I know..." 

She had smiled again, now a bit sad, but still beautiful. He smiled back, trying to give her a bit of comfort in the silent way he could. 

Claudia used to love that, to have him not say anything at all. 

Suddenly she looked up, like she was listening to something, and looked at him scared, "something happened - the woods are urging me."

"How far are we?"

The answer was not much, since they could see the kids cars parked. He stopped and Melissa got out running. He trailed after her. 

He could see the Pack and Danny all crouched around Isaac, who was unconscious. They immediately parted to let Mel look at the boy. On the other side of the clearing, the Karahalios kid was recovering what seemed to be pieces of his sword cane - just the blade, the baton was alright - and kept stealing glances at the pack, like he didn't know what to do with himself at the moment. He decided to go to him. 

"Mr. Karahalios, it seems that death has done you good."

The boy snorted.

"So the local authorities know about the supernatural. That explains the FBI."

"As surprising as it may sound, I am not supposed to know. And McCall is having a field day trying to skirt around the details."

"You don't like him. I thought you liked the alpha."

"Nobody in this town likes Rafael McCall. He has a history with a lot of residents. Well, the old ones - all the newcomers like yourself wouldn't know that."

Alexandros gathered the last piece of his sword and stood up, looking at Mel and at Scott, fussing as they were over Isaac. 

"Things are starting to make much more sense now that you mention it. A Risen King. I'm stumped. The other one I saw was in England itself and well, you've heard that story."

"Are you telling me you are Merlin, son?"

"Gods, no - I can barely do a mountain ash circle, I'm crap at magic. But I was around."

"Do I need to escort you out of the territory?"

"No," Scott's voice was loud and clear, even if he was still crouched next to Isaac, "As long as he doesn't interfere with pack activities or police activities or makes Danny uncomfortable he can stay and do whatever research he's come to do. Then he'll leave. Is that clear?"

"Yes, alpha." Karahalios nodded his head in a short bow. John couldn't help but feel like something had happened - something had been set in place. The kid looked at him and smirked, evidently amused. "It's interesting how much of the power a werewolf holds over a territory is psychosomatic. Is it the words that carry power, or the fact that he says them?"

"Wouldn't that be the same riddle as 'Is he a True Alpha because he didn't kill, or he never killed because he was a True Alpha'?"

"I like you, Sir Knight."

"Hm?"

"You haven't learned your true names? Well, as long as the Fae don't start raining on you you'll be fine. If you excuse me," the kid walked slowly towards the pack and John followed. When he got close enough to Mel he knelt like he was a knight from a TV show, "Mother, I apologize for not having introduced myself to you before. I'd pledge my sword to you but as you can see, I have lost it in rightful combat."

"Really?" The annoyance on Mel's face was, frankly, amusing, "We have to do this now? Don't you see I'm trying to see what's wrong with my son?"

"Let him sleep, Mother. He obviously didn't know he would drain himself acting as a conduit. Between that and me breaking his spine, he'll probably sleep a couple hours before he's up on his feet again. That and he'll probably want to eat a cow afterwards."

Mel turned back to Isaac, who definitely looked more like he was sleeping than he was blacked out. Scott picked him up and took him to Roscoe, followed by the rest of the pack and Danny. In a minute they were alone. 

"My son has already passed judgement on you, I can't overrule his word."

"And I shall not seek that from you. Thank you, Mother."

Karahalios got up and proceeded to walk as well. Neither said anything for a while, until they were sure they were alone again.

"What have our lives turned into?"

"Honestly, I don't know."

They walked back to his car - he had promised to take her to the hospital. During the whole way he kept looking ahead a bit too much, trying to hide himself in the act of driving. Of course, it didn't escape her.

"John, are you OK?"

They stopped at a red light. He turned to her.

"Mel, I may be totally overstepping but I was wondering if you would like to go to dinner with me sometime."

"A date?"

He couldn't help but look at his ring, and think of Claudia. Of her smile, of her voice, of her singing lullabies to Stiles when he was a little kid. And even though he missed her dearly, he couldn't help but think a little bit of Mel as well. Of all the time they were spending together now. Of the way she would whip both of their sons into place. 

"Yes, a date."

"I'd love to. But when you are ready."

He sighed, letting a tear come out. She didn't say anything and only hugged him goodbye when she got off the car at the hospital. He didn't realize he was crying until his vision had turned so blurry he had had to stop the car twice on his way back to his house. 

When he got there, he walked to his room, and sat on the bed, looking at the picture of him and Claudia he kept by the nightstand. Slowly, fearfully, he took of his wedding ring and put it next to it.

"Claudia, please."

The picture didn't say anything. But something in her smile made him feel like she would approve.

He called the fancy french restaurant in the middle of town, making reservations for next week's Friday.


	10. Epilogue

"Danny! Pick up the door!"

Danny stood up, his homework sprawled in the dining room - never used, his mother hated using that room when they had a fairly large kitchen table - and walked to the front door. Before he reached the knob he already knew who was behind it. 

"Hey"

"What do you want? The agreement said you were not to bother me anymore."

Alex actually flinched. _Well_ , Danny thought, _you deserve it_. 

"I just wanted to talk."

"Then talk."

Alex motioned like he wanted to get inside. Danny just raised his eyebrow and very pointedly closed the door behind him. It might be freezing out, but the porch was big enough for the two of them. He was not going to let him near his family.

Alex conceded defeat and backed down. He was using a new cane, Danny saw, even after admitting that it was just a decoy. 

He needed to carry his sword to meet with him? 

"How are you?"

"I don't know. I mean, my boyfriend died, then came back from the dead, then it turns out he's some sort of immortal creature who I actually don't know at all! On top of that, trying to defend said boyfriend from three warlocks ended in me becoming the one thing my family has been running from for generations. Just because I thought I loved him."

"You love me?"

"Check your tenses, asshole."

Alex had looked up hopeful but the retort had brought him down again. The scars were more prominent whenever he tried to hide himself. 

"Alright. You are not OK, I get that. I'm sorry."

"Are you sorry you lied to me? Or are you sorry I caught you on it?"

"I'm sorry I had to lie to you, yes, but not because I lied! Please, you are as guilty as I am of lying - or are you going to tell me that your friends knew you were a moonsinger in hiding!"

"I was protecting myself! I was protecting my family!"

"Well so was I!"

Danny just crossed his arms in front of his chest, while Alex closed his eyes breathing down his anger. A dog was barking in the background, riled by their shouting. The door behind Danny opened, and his mother appeared in the doorway. 

"Boys, would you mind bringing this inside? It's impolite to discuss family matters in the neighborhood."

"Mom..."

"It's alright, Danny."

She stepped inside. Alex looked at Danny warily, but the latter just followed his mother without looking back. He leaned against the fireplace, while pointing at the sofa. Alex sat down. Danny waited until he heard the door upstairs closing. At least his mother was giving them privacy. 

"I never meant to lie as a slight. I've been lying for twenty five hundred years. It's the only way I've survived. Just like you."

"Interesting choice of words, Alex. _Survived_. You are immortal - you can survive anything."

"Oh, please, Danny, you are smarter than this. Of course you understand why I lied, you are just angry because I lied to you. Like I would've spilled all my secrets to the boy I've met for a few months."

"Well, this boy you've met for a few months and yet you were willing to sex him up."

"Oh, don't feel too special, you are not the first boy I have sex with."

"I'm just part of your neverending collection, then?"

Alex just held his hands up, giving up. Danny couldn't help but smile vindictively. 

Danny understood him perfectly. If it was true that he had been alive for two thousand and five hundred years 'give or take a century' then he had to hide from the world. And probably had had to run from crowds with pitchforks at some point. That didn't take away the hurt, or the sting Danny was feeling in his heart right now, the same feeling he had felt since Alex had admitted he was immortal. Like a whole illusion had been shattered with a rock of truth, a cruel reminder that he was not normal, and that everything surrounding him would never be. Not even his boyfriends. Not the asshole that turned out to be on the wrong side of thirty; not the crush he harbored for psychotic Matt; and specially not werewolf Ethan. He was doomed to lie and be lied to, and it was getting tiresome. 

Maybe he could answer Stiles eternal question with a yes and get it on with him. The truth is Stiles was cute, but definitely not his type. 

"So what if I do understand? Doesn't mean it didn't hurt."

"It also hurt when you said you were a moonsinger. And yet here I am, trying to mend fences."

"Like showing up and talking to me would be enough for me to fall back into your arms?"

"What do you want, Danny? What do you want me to do so you won't be angry at me?"

"What about an explanation? A REAL explanation?"

"About what?"

"About you! Who are you? What are you doing here? If you didn't approach me because of what I am, then why? And don't say you didn't know what I was - you used the Moon Tarot Card to get to me."

"I did what?" Alex fumbled in the satchel he had brought and took out the deck he had brought, which Danny recognized as the first one he had ever brought - every day was a different deck. The blue one with the gold design on its back had never made an appearance again. For the first time Danny wondered why.

"I never used this deck after I gave you the card" Alex explained, as if he was reading his mind, while spreading the cards on the coffee table "First of all, it was missing a card, and all my decks are unique. Second, I immediately put it on my dresser, the first of many mementos of our relationship. You saw that." He was checking the cards, muttering the names until he realized which one was missing. "It is the Moon. Would you believe me if I told you I never checked which card was it? All that I wanted was to give you my phone number."

"How do I know that's true?"

"I guess you'll only have my word."

Alex put all the cards back in one stack and left it on the table. He also placed the cane on it, like a small gesture of peace: here's my weapon, I am giving it up for you.

"My name is Alexandros. I was born around 2500 years ago, I don't even know how many exactly since timekeeping was not easy back then and then the whole mess with the Catholics and calendars happened. I don't know why I'm alive, or why I can't stay dead. Emphasis on stay: I die every time, I just heal and come back. It hurts like a bitch if you ask me, particularly when I'm shot. At first I thought I had angered Hades, that since I had died ravaged by wolves in the middle of the road and with no one to pay Charon's fee I was cast out of the underworld, but then I died again and was properly buried and yet I kept coming back. My own town chased me out, thinking I was a curse onto the land. From then on I've been a drifter, a man with no place to call home. I've settled - I tried being a hermit once, lousy way to live - but it's never for a long time. I think the longest I lasted was a hundred and fifty years in a buddhist temple in the middle of an Asian forest - would it be in current China? I don't know. In a town or city I can only last around twenty years, maybe twenty five. A tribe once welcomed me in their midst until they realized what I am and then they tried to kill the girl I loved there. One of their own. So, yeah, I'm pretty secretive about who I am because it tends to rile people up." He held his hand up, before Danny could reply, and took a deep breath. "I was hiding. Every once in a while I will go underground, voluntarily kill myself and sleep for a long time, to try and make time pass more quickly. I was buried in the middle of a forest down in Mexico, but they dug me up because they were going to build a Walmart there. I was still dead - it takes weeks or months for my body to go back to full health when I go underground, since I actually start to rot, but then I felt such great power and I knew I had to find it out."

"Scott."

"A True Alpha. A thing of legends." He smiled ruefully. "Just like me."

"Why?"

"I don't know. I think it's because of Lydia. Maybe I'm supposed to guide her - she'll be immortal as long as the pack exists in one form or another. Maybe she's supposed to guide me - she's a Death spirit after all. Maybe I just see another kindred soul and my soul wants to hang out. For all that I know it was his power what would guide me to you."

"A moonsinger."

"Fuck it, Danny, you were not even active when I met you. What else do you want me to say? I didn't come here for you. But hell yes I'm staying because of you. Because I think I love you."

"I thought that too"

Alex just fell into the couch, a tear coming out of his eye. He quickly rubbed his face and grabbed his cane and head for the door. 

"You know what they say about you, Danny? That everybody likes you. I guess I'll be the first one who won't, no matter how bad it hurts."

"Go to hell."

"I wish I could. It would be better than looking at your face again."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this ends this episode. May have felt a bit slow but it's needed to make room for what's coming next. 
> 
> Again, thank you so much for reading! 
> 
> And I tumblr: alan713ch.tumblr.com


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